The salt people put on their food or in their cooking is usually a type of salt called table salt.

If something is processed, it is changed from its natural form by people.

Salt mines are areas of Earth from which rock salt is extracted.  These are often underground.

Rock salt is the name given to salt before it is processed.

A microscope is a piece of equipment that magnifies very tiny objects.

Comparing rock salt with table salt (non-statutory)

Science

In the Materials Challenge unit, pupils learn how to separate materials using different techniques, such as filtering and evaporation. In the Solutions unit, they will build upon this knowledge to learn about pure substances and mixtures, as well as observing and explaining solubility using the particle model.    

In the Properties, changes and separating materials unit, pupils learnt to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating. In this Materials challenge unit, they will build on this knowledge to apply their understanding of separating materials to a wider range of everyday situations

This unit covers separating materials using techniques such as filtering and evaporation. It focuses on planning scientific enquiries, recognising and controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, recording complex data, and presenting findings with conclusions, and explanations.

Materials (non-statutory)

Physical activity and equipment requiring safe use

What is the name of the salt people put on their food or in their cooking?

Which of these pieces of equipment could be used to observe and compare different types of salt?

Which of these are ways you can obtain table salt?

What is the name of salt when it comes out of a mine?

What do you call salt obtained by evaporating sea water?

Solids and gases that dissolve in water are said to be {{}} in water.

How can you separate an insoluble solid from a liquid?

What do you get if you dissolve a soluble solid in a liquid?

If a change is {{}}, it can be undone or changed back to its original state.

How can you separate a soluble solid from a liquid?

How can you speed up evaporation of a liquid?

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment

Adult supervision required

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Comparing rock salt with table salt (non-statutory)

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.